Mythology and Folklore UN-Textbook: nopix

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Myth-Folklore Unit: Georgian Folktales

Overview. Living in the Caucasus mountains of Central Asia, the people of Georgia stand at the meeting place of eastern Europe and western Asia, allied by religion with Orthodox Christianity and the cultural traditions of Byzantium on the one hand (most Georgians belong to the Georgian Orthodox Church), but also very much influenced by Persian and Turkish culture. In this selection of stories from Marjory Wardrop's Georgian Folk Tales, you will find tricksters bold enough to outwit even the devil himself, along with stories of inescapable fate and happy good fortune. There are tales of magic, dervishes, and demis (demons), plus some animal stories, and even a tale of Nasreddin, the "wise fool" whose exploits are famous throughout the Middle East and Central Asia.

Language. This book consists of retellings of Georgian folktales in contemporary English, so the language should not pose any difficulties.

Story Length. This unit contains only single-page stories, along with one page of proverbs.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Georgian Folktales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

Myth-Folklore Unit: Tutinameh, or Tales of a Parrot

Overview. This famous collection of stories is known as the Tutinama in Persian, or the Tales of a Parrot (tuti means "parrot" in Persian). The book is an adaptation of an earlier book written in Sanskrit, and it has a frametale that might remind you of 1001 Nights. The storyteller this time, though, is a parrot, a parrot whose master is away on business and whose mistress is getting ready to go meet her lover, committing adultery in her husband's absence. Each night, though, the parrot tells her a story that delays her; she is so curious to hear the story that every night she stays at home listening to the parrot and thus does not have time for the tryst with her lover. This unit contains twenty of the parrot's stories, along with an account of the surprising events that take place when the master of the house finally comes home!

Language. This is an early 19th-century English version of the Tutinameh, so the language is a little old-fashioned but should not pose any real problems.

Story Length. This unit contains only single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Tales of a Parrot. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

(Mughal Tutinama)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Twenty-Two Goblins

Overview. The stories in Twenty-Two Goblins (Arthur Ryder's translation of the Sanskrit Vetālapañcaviṃśati) are tales told by a goblin, or vetala in Sanskrit, a supernatural creature that inhabits human corpses. The audience for the goblin's stories is a wise king who is attempting to capture one of these goblin-inhabited corpses; as he is toting the corpse back to his palace, the goblin tells paradoxical stories that each end with a riddling question which the king must answer. I've included twelve of the stories here, along with the dramatic conclusion when you see what finally happens to the king, to the corpse, and to the goblin. You can get a sense of how the stories work from their titles: "The Three Lovers who Brought the Dead Girl to Life: Whose Wife Should She Be?" or "The Girl who Transposed the Heads of her Husband and Brother: Which Combination of Head and Body is Her Husband?" See if you can find the answers as easily as the king does!

Language. This is a wonderful English translation of the Sanskrit original. Ryder also translates the Sanskrit names into their English equivalents, so instead of strange Sanskrit names, you get to learn what the Sanskrit names actually mean!

Story Length. This unit contains only single-page stories, plus a frametale that connects them all together.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on a single page: Twenty-Two Goblins.

Free audiobook available!

READING A:

Introduction.
The Three Lovers. The Three Lovers who brought the Dead Girl to Life. Whose wife should she be?
Brave, Wise, Clever. The Brave Man, the Wise Man, and the Clever Man. To which should the girl be given?
The Girl, Her Husband and Her Brother. The Girl who transposed the Heads of her Husband and Brother. Which combination of head and body is her husband?
Food, Women, Cotton. The Specialist in Food, the Specialist in Women, and the Specialist in Cotton. Which is the cleverest?
The Four Suitors. The Four Scientific Suitors. To which should the girl be given?
The Three Delicate Wives. The Three Delicate Wives of King Virtue-banner. Which is the most delicate?

READING B:

The Snake's Poison. The Brahman who died because Poison from a Snake in the Claws of a Hawk fell into a Dish of Food given him by a Charitable Woman. Who is to blame for his death?
The Girl and the Thief. The Girl who showed Great Devotion to the Thief. Did he weep or laugh?
The General's Wife. The King who died for Love of his General's Wife; the General follows him in Death. Which is the more worthy?
The Four Brothers. The Four Brothers who brought a Dead Lion to Life. Which is to blame when he kills them all?
The Old Hermit. The Old Hermit who exchanged his Body for that of the Dead Boy. Why did he weep and dance?
Father and Son, Daughter and Mother. The Father and Son who married Daughter and Mother. What relation were their children?
Conclusion.

Myth-Folklore Unit: Santal Folklore

Overview. The Santal (Santhal, Sontal, Sonthal) are the largest tribal community in India, living primarily in the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha, and also in the neighboring nations of Nepal and Bangladesh. They speak a Munda language which is related to Vietnamese and Khmer, and they have an incredibly rich storytelling tradition. The stories in this unit come from an enormous collection of Santal stories translated into English by C. H. Bompas: Folklore of the Santal Parganas. In selecting stories for this unit, I have focused on the animal legends, so you will find here many tales of tigers and of jackals, along with supernatural creatures like the ghormuhas who "have heads like horses and bodies and arms like men, and their legs are shaped like men’s but they have only one leg each, and they eat human beings." Between the tigers and the ghormuhas, the world of Santal stories is full of danger and adventure, plus plenty of animal tricksters too!

Language. These folktales are told in contemporary English, so the language used should not pose any problems.

Story Length. This unit contains single-page stories, along with one two-page story.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Santal Folklore. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

(Santal woman and child,
photo by Biplob Rahman)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Pacific Northwest

Overview. As the title of Judson's book explains, there are Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest, especially of Washington and Oregon, and the stories come from a variety of different tribes, including the Klamath, Kwakiutl, Shasta, and Nez Perce, among others. You will find creation stories here, along with origin stories, such as why there are no snakes on Mount Takhoma (a.k.a. Mount Rainier). There are many stories about Coyote, the great trickster who once thought he could travel into the sky by riding on the star, and also Raven, giver of gifts and player of tricks. You will meet the creator god Kemush, the mighty Thunder Bird whose wings make the thunder and whose glance is lightning, and Whishpoosh, the monster-beaver. There are ghost stories, too, including a legend of the Memaloose Islands, the mysterious realm of the dead on the Columbia River.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are quite short, and all of them are single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Pacific Northwest. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

READING B:

(Mount Shasta)

Myth-Folklore Unit: British North America

Overview. This selection of legends told by First Nations people of Canada is drawn from Judson's Myths and Legends of British North America, featuring stories of the Haida, Shuswap, and Inuit peoples, along with many more. There are creation stories about the beginnings of the world and about the origins of light, the stars, and the wind, and how the seals and the salmon came to be. In fact, from the Dakelh legend about the creation of light, you will finally learn what the fox says: "Fox kept singing, 'Khain, khain, khain' because he thought in that way he would gain light." In these stories you will meet the formidable Nuxalk goddess Qamaits, "Afraid of Nothing," and the hero Manabozho with his grandmother, plus the animal tricksters Raven, Coyote and, last but not least, Wolverine.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are quite short, and all of them are single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: British North America. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

READING B:

(illustration in the book)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Native American Marriage Tales

Overview. Stith Thompson's anthology, Tales of the North American Indians, was a pioneering work in comparative studies of Native American storytelling. This reading selection contains Thompson's stories of animal brides and animal husbands, along with some fairytale-type stories that are a blending of European and Native American storytelling styles. The tales come from a variety of different tribes, including Inuit, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Zuni, and other traditions as well. Among the animal brides are a mysterious she-fox, plus a she-buffalo who lives for a time with her human husband, along with a deer who brings her human husband to live among the deer people. There are animal husbands too, including a dog, a buffalo, an eagle, and even a killer whale!

Language. Thompson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. This unit contains stories of various lengths, including stories that are just one page long, as well as stories that are two or three pages long, and one four-page-long story.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Native American Marriage Tales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

Myth-Folklore Unit: Ballads of Robin Hood

Overview. The Robin Hood stories in this unit are in the form of ballads as found in The English and Scottish Popular Ballads collected by Francis James Child. The ballads are oldest sources for the Robin legends, some of them dating back to the Middle Ages. You will see Robin at the start of his outlaw career, a young man with a furious temper who murders fourteen of the king's foresters, leaving just one alive to tell the tale. In addition to his skill with the bow, Robin is a trickster too, often disguising himself as someone unexpected — a butcher, a beggar, a monk, and even an old woman. You will meet the Merry Men, such as Little John, Will Scarlett and Allen a Dale, and you will also meet Robin's sworn enemies, such as the Bishop of Hereford and the Sheriff of Nottingham. And yes, Maid Marian will make an appearance, as will King Richard. Plus, some of the ballads have YouTube recordings where you can listen to the song as well as reading the lyrics!

Language. All the readings in this unit are ballads. For some of the ballads you have just the lyrics; for some ballads, you can listen to a performance of the song at YouTube. The ballads are quite old, so the language is quite old-fashioned, but good for singing out loud!

Story Length. Each ballad is a single page in length.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Robin Hood. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

(Robin Hood statue in Nottingham)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Brothers Grimm (Ashliman)

Overview. There are four different Grimm units to choose from, each taken a different English-language version. This selection (from Dan Ashliman's Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales) features both familiar and unfamiliar stories, although I am guessing these are mostly less familiar stories. If you want to read the Grimm versions of Little Red Riding Hood, Rumpelstiltskin, or The Elves and the Shoemaker, you will find those stories here, and you will also find some other fabulous stories: there is the mysterious murder mystery in The Singing Bone, along with lots of animal stories, including some great animal tricksters (Cat and Mouse in Partnership, The Hare and the Hedgehog), plus a classic fairy-tale story, The Seven Ravens. Finally, there is some Bible-based folklore here, with the story of Eve's Unequal Children, which is about the life of Adam and Eve after they are expelled from Paradise.

Language. This is a contemporary English prose translation of the Brothers Grimm, so it should not pose any real difficulties.

Story Length. The stories in this unit are all single-page stories.

Choosing Between Units. There are four different Grimm units: the Ashliman and LibriVox units contain shorter, less familiar stories (and the LibriVox one has audio recordings), while the Crane and Hunt units contain longer, more familiar stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Grimm (Ashliman). Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

Additional Resources. There is a Grimm Index page for all the fables in the four Grimm units in this course, and you can use this link to see the four different Grimm units listed on a single page.

READING A:

READING B:

(The Seven Ravens, by H. Vogel)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Hans Christian Andersen

Overview. Hans Christian Andersen is famous as an author of literary fairy tales, and is probably Denmark's most famous author. You will encounter some familiar fairy tales in this selection from his Fairy Tales and Stories, such as "The Princess and the Pea," and also the "The Little Mermaid," a story whose plot and whose themes are about as UN-Disney as you can imagine. It's also quite a long story, full of beautiful details and background about the little mermaid, taking up half of the unit. In the other half, you will read some other, shorter Andersen fairy tales, ranging from the hilarious ("The Emperor's New Suit") to the tragic ("The Little Matchseller"). There are profoundly spiritual themes that run through Andersen's stories, as well as heartfelt drama and unforgettable characters. If your only encounter with Andersen's imaginary world has been the Disney film, you are in for a wonderful surprise with these stories!

Language. This is an English translation of Andersen's Danish tales which are highly literary in style.

Story Length. The first half of the unit consists of short stories that are just one or two pages in length, and the second half of the unit consists of Andersen's Little Mermaid.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on a single page: Andersen Fairy Tales.

Free audiobook available!

READING A:

READING B:

(Illustration by W. Heath Robinson)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Russian Folktales

Overview. Ralston calls his book of Russian Fairy Tales "a choice collection of Muscovite folklore," and I think you will enjoy the mixture of fairy tales with other forms of folklore, especially the ghost stories, vampires, and other tales of the "undead." You will even meet the days of the week as supernatural characters in these stories, along with witches and warlocks, the forest demon called "leshy," and other distinctively Russian characters. In creating this collection, Ralston worked with some of the most famous Russian fairy tale and folktale collections of the nineteenth century, and he aimed to produce translations that were as literal as possible, thus conveying the lively, oral quality of these popular folk traditions. Here is how he explains his strategy: "An 'untouched photograph is in certain cases infinitely preferable to one which has been carefully 'worked upon.' And it is, as it were, a photograph of the Russian story-teller that I have tried to produce, and not an ideal portrait." So, instead of literary refinement, be prepared for some really Russian folklore as you explore the stories here.

Language. Ralston tells the fairy tales in modern prose, although he tries to convey a sense of the original Russian style which is highly oral, without a lot of literary refinement.

Story Length. This unit consists of short stories that are just a single page long.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Russian Folktales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

Free audiobook available!

Audio Note. The LibriVox audio files have several stories in each audio file; I've provided a link in each story to the matching audio file, and you can use this LibriVox listing to see what stories appear in each audio file.

READING A:

READING B:

(Russian peasants)

Kalevala: Joukahainen and Väinämöinen

If you are listening to the audio, you will hear the "argument" (summary) at the beginning of each new runo.

[Notes by LKG]

This story is part of the Kalevala unit. Story source: Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot, translated by W. F. Kirby (1907).

Runo 3: Joukahainen and Väinämöinen

[LIBRIVOX AUDIO: Runo 3]

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast
Passed the days of his existence
Where lie Väinölä's sweet meadows,
Kalevala's extended heathlands:
There he sang his songs of sweetness
Sang his songs and proved his wisdom.

Day by day he sang unwearied,
Night by night discoursed unceasing,
Sang the songs of by-gone ages,
Hidden words of ancient wisdom,
Songs which all the children sing not,
All beyond men's comprehension,
In these ages of misfortune,
When the race is near Its ending.

Far away the news was carried,
Far abroad was spread the tidings
Of the songs of Väinämöinen,
Of the wisdom of the hero;
In the south was spread the rumour;
Reached to Pohjola the tidings.

Here dwelt youthful Joukahainen,
He, the meagre youth of Lapland;
And, when visiting the village,
Wondrous tales he heard related,
How there dwelt another minstrel,
And that better songs were carolled.

Far in Väinölä's sweet meadows,
Kalevala's extended heathlands,
Better songs than he could compass,
Better than his father taught him.

This he heard with great displeasure,
And his heart was filled with envy
That the songs of Väinämöinen
Better than his own were reckoned.

Then he went to seek his mother;
Sought her out, the aged woman,
And declared that he would journey,
And was eager to betake him,
Unto Väinölä's far dwellings,
That he might contend with Väinö.

But his father straight forbade him,
Both his father and his mother,
Thence to Väinölä to journey,
That he might contend with Väinö.

"He will surely sing against you,
Sing against you, and will ban you,
Sink your mouth and head in snow-drifts,
And your hands in bitter tempest:
Till your hands and feet are stiffened,
And incapable of motion."

Said the youthful Joukahainen,
"Good the counsel of my father,
And my mother's counsel better;
Best of all my own opinion.

"I will set myself against him,
And defy him to a contest;
I myself my songs will sing him;
I myself will speak my mantras,
Sing until the best of minstrels
Shall become the worst of singers.

"Shoes of stone will I provide him,
Wooden trousers on his haunches,
On his breast a stony burden,
And a rock upon his shoulders;
Stony gloves his hands shall cover,
And his head a stony helmet."

Then he went his way unheeding,
Went his way and fetched his gelding,
From whose mouth the fire was flashing,
'Neath whose legs the sparks were flying.

Then the fiery steed he harnessed;
To the golden sledge he yoked him;
In the sledge himself he mounted,
And upon the seat he sat him,
O'er the horse his whip he brandished;
With the beaded whip he smote him;
From the place the horse sprang quickly,
And he darted lightly forwards.

On he drove with thundering clatter,
As he drove a day, a second,
Driving also on the third day,
And at length upon the third day,
Came to Väinölä's sweet meadows,
Kalevala's extended heathlands.

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,
He, the oldest of magicians,
As it chanced was driving onward,
Peacefully his course pursuing
On through Väinölä's sweet meadows,
Kalevala's extended heathlands.

Came the youthful Joukahainen
Driving on the road against him,
And the shafts were wedged together,
And the reins were all entangled,
And the collar jammed with collar,
And the runners dashed together.

Thus their progress was arrested,
Thus they halted and reflected;
Sweat dropped down upon the runners;
From the shafts the steam was rising.

Asked the aged Väinämöinen,
"Who are you, and what your lineage,
You who drive so reckless onward,
Utterly without reflection?

"Broken are the horses' collars,
And the wooden runners likewise;
You have smashed my sledge to pieces,
Broke the sledge in which I travelled."

Then the youthful Joukahainen
Answered in the words which follow:

"I am youthful Joukahainen;
But yourself should also tell me
What your race, and what your nation,
And from what vile stock you issue."

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,
Told his name without concealment,
And began to speak as follows:

"Youth, if you are Joukahainen,
You should move aside a little,
For remember: you are younger."

Next: Joukahainen and Väinämöinen (cont.)

(700 words)

Kalevala: Joukahainen and Väinämöinen (cont.)

This story is part of the Kalevala unit. Story source: Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot, translated by W. F. Kirby (1907).

Runo 3: Joukahainen and Väinämöinen (cont.)

(see previous page for audio)

But the youthful Joukahainen
Answered in the words which follow:
"Here of youthfulness we reck not;
Nought doth youth or age concern us:
He who highest stands in knowledge,
He whose wisdom is the greatest,
Let him keep the path before him,
And the other yield the passage.
If you are old Väinämöinen,
And the oldest of the minstrels,
Let us give ourselves to singing,
Let us now repeat our sayings,
That the one may teach the other.
And the one surpass the other."

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,
Answered in the words which follow:
"What can I myself accomplish
As a wise man or a singer?
I have passed my life in quiet,
Here among these very moorlands,
On the borders of my home-field
I have heard the cuckoo calling.
But apart from this at present,
I will ask you to inform me:
What may be your greatest wisdom
And the utmost of your knowledge?"

Said the youthful Joukahainen,
"Many things I know in fulness,
And I know with perfect clearness,
And my insight shows me plainly:
In the roof we find the smoke-hole,
And the fire is near the hearthstone;
Joyful life the seal is leading,
In the waves there sports the sea-dog,
And he feeds upon the salmon,
And the powans round about him;
Smooth the water loved by powans,
Smooth the surface, too, for salmon;
And in frost the pike is spawning,
Slimy fish in wintry weather;
Sluggish is the perch, the humpback,
In the depths it swims in autumn,
But it spawns in drought of summer,
Swimming slowly to the margin.
If this does not yet suffice you,
I am wise in other matters,
And of weighty things can tell you:
In the north they plough with reindeer,
In the south the mare is useful,
And the elk In furthest Lapland;
Trees I know on Pisa mountain,
Firs upon the rocks of Horna,
Tall the trees on Pisa mountain,
And the firs on rocks of Horna;
Three great waterfalls I know of,
And as many lakes extensive,
And as many lofty mountains,
Underneath the vault of heaven;
Halläpyörä is in Hame,
Karjala has Kaatrakoski,
But they do not match the Vuoksi,
There where Imatra is rushing."

Said the aged Väinämöinen,
"Childish tales, and woman's wisdom,
But for bearded men unsuited,
And for married men unfitted.
Tell me words of deepest wisdom.
Tell me now of things eternal."

Then the youthful Joukahainen
Answered in the words which follow:
"Well I know whence comes the titmouse,
That the titmouse is a birdie,
And a snake the hissing viper,
And the ruffe a fish in water,
And I know that hard is iron,
And that mud when black is bitter;
Painful, too, is boiling water,
And the heat of fire is hurtful;
Water is the oldest medicine;
Cataract's foam a magic potion;
The Creator's self a sorcerer,
Jumala the Great Magician;
From the rock springs forth the water,
And the fire from heaven descendeth,
And from ore we get the iron,
And in hills we find the copper;
Marshy country is the oldest,
And the first of trees the willow;
Pine-roots were the oldest houses,
And the earliest pots were stone ones."

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,
Answered in the words which follow:
"Is there more that you can tell me,
Or is this the end of nonsense?"

Said the youthful Joukahainen,
"Many little things I wot of,
And the time I well remember
When 'twas I who ploughed the ocean,
Hollowed out the depths of ocean,
And I dug the caves for fishes,
And I sunk the deep abysses,
When the lakes I first created,
And I heaped the hills together.
And the rocky mountains fashioned;
Then I stood with six great heroes!
I myself the seventh among them;
When the earth was first created,
And the air above expanded,
For the sky I fixed the pillars
And I reared the arch of heaven,
To the moon assigned his journey,
Helped the sun upon his pathway,
To the Bear his place appointed,
And the stars in heaven I scattered."

Said the aged Väinämöinen,
"Ay, indeed, a shameless liar!
You at least were never present
When the ocean first was furrowed,
And the ocean depths were hollowed,
And the caves were dug for fishes,
And the deep abysses sunken,
And the lakes were first created,
When the hills were heaped together,
And the rocky mountains fashioned;
No one ever yet had seen you,
None had seen you, none had heard you,
When the earth was first created
And the air above expanded,
When the posts of heaven were planted,
And the arch of heaven exalted,
When the moon was shown his pathway
And the sun was taught to journey,
When the Bear was fixed in heaven
And the stars in heaven were scattered."

But the youthful Joukahainen
Answered in the words which follow:
"If I fail in understanding,
I will seek it at the sword-point:
O thou aged Väinämöinen,
O thou very broad-mouthed minstrel,
Let us measure swords together,
Let the blade decide between us."

Said the aged Väinämöinen,
"I have little cause to fret me
Either for your sword or wisdom,
For your sword-point or your judgment,
But, apart from this at present,
I will draw no sword upon you,
So contemptible a fellow,
And so pitiful a weakling."

Next: Joukahainen and Väinämöinen (cont. again)

(900 words)

Kalevala: Joukahainen and Väinämöinen (cont. again)

This story is part of the Kalevala unit. Story source: Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot, translated by W. F. Kirby (1907).

Runo 3: Joukahainen and Väinämöinen (cont. again)

(see previous page for audio)

Then the youthful Joukahainen
Shook his head, his mouth drawn crooked,
And he tossed his locks of blackness.
And he spake the words which follow:
"He who shuns the sword's decision,
Nor betakes him to his sword-blade,
To a swine I soon will sing him,
To a snouted swine transform him;
Heroes I have thus o'erpowered,
Hither will I drive and thither,
And will pitch them on the dunghill,
Grunting in the cowshed corner."

Angry then was Väinämöinen,
Filled with wrath and indignation,
And himself commenced his singing,
And to speak his words of wisdom,
But he sang no childish ditties,
Children's songs and women's jesting,
But a song for bearded heroes,
Such as all the children sing not,
Nor a half the boys can master,
Nor a third can lovers compass,
In the days of dark misfortune,
When our life is near its ending.

Sang the aged Väinämöinen;
Lakes swelled up, and earth was shaken,
And the coppery mountains trembled,
And the mighty rocks resounded,
And the mountains clove asunder;
On the shore the stones were shivered.

Then he sang of Joukahainen,
Changed his runners into saplings,
And to willows changed the collar,
And the reins he turned to alder,
And he sang the sledge all gilded,
To the lake among the rushes,
And the whip, with beads embellished,
To a reed upon the water,
And the horse, with front white-spotted
To a stone beside the torrent.

Then he sang his sword, gold-hilted,
To a lightning-flash in heaven,
And his ornamented crossbow,
To a rainbow o'er the water,
And he sang his feathered arrows,
Into hawks that soar above him,
And his dog, with upturned muzzle,
Stands a stone in earth embedded.

From his head, his cap, by singing,
Next became a cloud above him,
From his hands, his gloves, by singing,
Next were changed to water-lilies,
And the blue coat he was wearing,
Floats a fleecy cloud in heaven,
And the handsome belt that girt him,
In the sky as stars he scattered.

As he sang, sank Joukahainen
Waist-deep in the swamp beneath him,
Hip-deep in the marshy meadow,
To his arm-pits in a quicksand.

Then indeed young Joukahainen
Knew at last, and comprehended,
And he knew his course was finished,
And his journey now was ended,
For in singing he was beaten,
By the aged Väinämöinen.

He would raise his foot to struggle
But he could no longer lift it;
Then he tried to lift the other,
But as shod with stone he felt it.

Then the youthful Joukahainen
Felt the greatest pain and anguish,
And he fell in grievous trouble,
And he spoke the words which follow:
"O thou wisest Väinämöinen,
O thou oldest of magicians,
Speak thy words of magic backwards,
And reverse thy songs of magic;
Loose me from this place of terror,
And release me from my torment:
I will pay the highest ransom,
And the fixed reward will give thee."

Said the aged Väinämöinen,
"What do you propose to give me,
If I turn my words of magic,
And reverse my songs of magic,
Loose you from this place of terror,
And release you from your torment?"

Said the youthful Joukahainen,
"I've two crossbows I could give you,
Ay, a pair of splendid crossbows,
One shoots forth with passing quickness,
Surely hits the mark the other;
If it please you, choose between them."

Said the aged Väinämöinen,
"No, your bows I do not covet,
For the wretched bows I care not;
I myself have plenty of them:
All the walls are decked with crossbows,
All the pegs are hung with crossbows;
In the woods they wander hunting,
Nor a hero needs to span them."

Then the youthful Joukahainen
In the swamp he sank yet deeper.
Said the youthful Joukahainen,
"I have yet two boats to offer;
Splendid boats, as I can witness,
One is light, and fit for racing,
Heavy loads will bear the other;
If it please you, choose between them."

Said the aged Väinämöinen,
"No, your boats I do not covet,
And I will not choose between them,
I myself have plenty of them:
All the staves are full already,
Every creek is crowded with them,
Boats to face the gale adapted,
Boats against the wind that travel."

Then the youthful Joukahainen,
in the swamp he sank yet deeper.
Said the youthful Joukahainen,
"I have still two noble stallions;
Ay, a pair of handsome horses:
One of these of matchless swiftness,
And the other best in harness;
If it please you, choose between them."

Said the aged Väinämöinen,
"No, I do not want your horses,
Do not need your steeds, white-footed;
I myself have plenty of them:
Every stall has now its tenant,
Every stable's filled with horses,
With their backs like water shining;
Lakes of fat upon their haunches."

Then the youthful Joukahainen,
In the swamp he sank yet deeper.
Said the youthful Joukahainen,
"O thou aged Väinämöinen,
Speak thy words of magic backwards,
And reverse thy songs of magic.
I will give a golden helmet,
And a hat filled up with silver,
Which my father won in warfare,
Which he won in battle-struggle."

Said the aged Väinämöinen,
"No, I do not want your silver,
And for gold, I only scorn it.
I myself have both in plenty:
Every storeroom crammed with treasure.
Every chest is overflowing,
Gold as ancient as the moonlight,
Silver with the sun coeval."

Then the youthful Joukahainen
In the swamp he sank yet deeper.

Next: Joukahainen and Väinämöinen (end)

(900 words)

Kalevala: Joukahainen and Väinämöinen (end)

This story is part of the Kalevala unit. Story source: Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot, translated by W. F. Kirby (1907).

Runo 3: Joukahainen and Väinämöinen (end)

(see previous page for audio)

Said the youthful Joukahainen,
"O thou aged Väinämöinen,
Loose me from this place of terror
And release me from my torment:
All my stacks at home I'll give thee,
And my fields I likewise promise,
All to save my life I offer,
If you will accept my ransom."

Said the aged Väinämöinen,
"No, your barns I do not covet,
And your fields are 'neath my notice,
I myself have plenty of them:
Fields are mine in all directions,
Stocks are reared on every fallow,
And my own fields please me better,
And my stacks of corn are finest."

Then the youthful Joukahainen
In the swamp he sank yet deeper.

Then the youthful Joukahainen,
Felt at length the greatest anguish,
Chin-deep in the swamp while sinking,
In the mud his beard was draggled,
In the moss his mouth was sunken,
And his teeth among the tree-roots.

Said the youthful Joukahainen,
"O thou wisest Väinämöinen,
O thou oldest of magicians,
Sing once more thy songs of magic,
Grant the life of one so wretched
And release me from my prison.
In the stream my feet are sunken,
With the sand my eyes are smarting;
Speak thy words of magic backwards,
Break the spell that overwhelms me!
You shall have my sister Aino,
I will give my mother's daughter.
She shall dust your chamber for you,
Sweep the flooring with her besom,
Keep the milk-pots all in order,
And shall wash your garments for you;
Golden fabrics she shall weave you,
And shall bake you cakes of honey."

Then the aged Väinämöinen,
Heard his words and grew full joyful,
Since to tend his age was promised
Joukahainen's lovely sister.

On the stone of joy he sat him,
On the stone of song he rested,
Sang an hour, and sang a second,
And again he sang a third time:
Thus reversed his words of magic,
And dissolved the spell completely.

Then the youthful Joukahainen
From the mud his chin uplifted
And his beard he disentangled;
From the rock his steed led forward,
Drew his sledge from out the bushes,
From the reeds his whip unloosing.

Then upon his sledge he mounted,
And upon the seat he sat him,
And with gloomy thoughts he hastened,
With a heart all sad and doleful,
Homeward to his dearest mother,
Unto her, the aged woman.

On he drove with noise and tumult,
Home he drove in consternation,
And he broke the sledge to pieces,
At the door the shafts were broken.

Then the noise alarmed his mother,
And his father came and asked him,
"Recklessly the sledge was broken;
Did you break the shafts on purpose?
Wherefore do you drive so rashly,
And arrive at home so madly?"

Then the youthful Joukahainen
Could not keep his tears from flowing;
Sad he bowed his head in sorrow,
And his cap awry he shifted,
And his lips were dry and stiffened,
O'er his mouth his nose was drooping.

Then his mother came and asked him
Wherefore was he sunk in sorrow.
"O my son, why weep so sadly?
O my darling, why so troubled,
With thy lips so dry and stiffened,
O'er thy mouth thy nose thus drooping?"

Said the youthful Joukahainen,
"O my mother, who hast borne me,
There is cause for what has happened,
For the sorcerer has o'ercome me;
Cause enough have I for weeping,
And the sorcerer's brought me sorrow.
I myself must weep for ever,
And must pass my life in mourning,
For my very sister Aino,
She, my dearest mother's daughter,
I have pledged to Väinämöinen,
As the consort of the minstrel,
To support his feeble footsteps,
And to wait upon him always."

Joyous clapped her hands his mother,
Both her hands she rubbed together,
And she spoke the words which follow:
"Do not weep, my son, my dearest,
For thy tears are quite uncalled for;
Little cause have we to sorrow,
For the hope I long have cherished:
All my lifetime I have wished it,
And have hoped this high-born hero
Might akin to us be reckoned,
And the minstrel Väinämöinen
Might become my daughter's husband."

But when Joukahainen's sister
Heard, she wept in deepest sorrow,
Wept one day, and wept a second,
At the threshold ever weeping,
Wept in overwhelming sorrow,
In the sadness of her spirit.

Then her mother said consoling,
"Wherefore weep, my little Aino?
You have gained a valiant bridegroom,
And the home of one most noble,
Where you'll look from out the window,
Sitting on the bench and talking."

But her daughter heard and answered,
"O my mother who hast borne me,
Therefore have I cause for weeping,
Weeping for the beauteous tresses,
Now my youthful head adorning,
And my hair so soft and glossy,
Which must now be wholly hidden,
While I still am young and blooming;
Then must I through lifetime sorrow
For the splendour of the sunlight,
And the moonbeam's charming lustre
And the glory of the heavens,
Which I leave, while still so youthful,
And as child must quite abandon,
I must leave my brother's work-room,
Just beyond my father's window."

Said the mother to the daughter,
To the girl the crone made answer,
"Cast away this foolish sorrow,
Cease your weeping, all uncalled for,
Little cause have you for sorrow,
Little cause for lamentation:
God's bright sun is ever shining
On the world in other regions,
Shines on other doors and windows
Than your father's or your brother's;
Berries grow on every mountain,
Strawberries on the plains are growing,
You can pluck them in your sorrow
Wheresoe'er your steps may lead you,
Not alone on father's acres,
Or upon your brother's clearings."

Next: Väinämöinen and Aino

(900 words)

Kalevala: Väinämöinen and Aino

This story is part of the Kalevala unit. Story source: Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot, translated by W. F. Kirby (1907).

Runo 4: Väinämöinen and Aino

[LIBRIVOX AUDIO: Runo 4]

Then the little maiden Aino,
Youthful Joukahainen's sister,
Went for besoms to the greenwood,
Sought for bath-whisks in the bushes;
One she gathered for her father,
And a second for her mother,
And she gathered yet another,
For her young and ruddy brother.

As she turned her footsteps homeward,
Pushing through the alder-bushes,
Came the aged Väinämöinen,
And he saw her in the thicket,
Finely clad among the herbage,
And he spoke the words which follow:
"Maiden, do not wear for others,
But for me alone, O maiden,
Round thy neck a beaded necklace,
And a cross upon thy bosom;
Plait for me thy beauteous tresses,
Bind thy hair with silken ribands."

But the young maid gave him answer,
"Not for thee, and not for others,
Rests the cross upon my bosom,
And my hair is bound with ribands;
Nought I care for sea-borne raiment;
Wheaten bread I do not value.
I will walk in home-spun garments,
And with crusts will still my hunger,
In my dearest father's dwelling,
And beside my much-loved mother."

From her breast she took the crosslet,
Drew the rings from off her fingers,
From her neck the beaded necklace,
From her head the scarlet ribands;
Down upon the ground she threw them,
Scattered them among the bushes;
Then she hastened, ever weeping,
Loud lamenting, to the homestead.

At the window sat her father,
While he carved a hatchet-handle.
"Wherefore weepest thou, my daughter,
Young, and yet so full of sadness?"

"Cause enough have I for weeping,
Cause for weeping and lamenting.
Therefore weep I, dearest father,
Weep, and feel so full of sorrow:
From my breast I lost the crosslet,
From my belt I dropped the buckle,
From my breast my silver crosslet,
From my waist the copper girdle."

At the gate, her brother sitting,
For the sledge was shaping runners.
"Wherefore weepest thou, my sister,
Young, and yet so full of sorrow?"

"Cause enough have I for weeping,
Cause for weeping and lamenting.
Therefore do I weep, poor brother,
Weep, and feel so full of sorrow.
Rings I lost from off my fingers,
From my neck my beaded necklace,
And my finger-rings were golden,
And my necklace-beads were silver."

At the window sat her sister,
As she wove a golden girdle.
"Wherefore weepest thou, poor sister,
Young, and yet so full of sorrow?"

"Cause enough have I for weeping,
Cause for weeping and lamenting.
Therefore do I weep, poor sister,
Weep and feel so full of sorrow:
From my brow the gold has fallen,
From my hair I lost the silver,
Tore the blue bands from my temples,
From my head the scarlet braiding."

On the threshold of the storehouse,
Skimming milk, she found her mother.
"Wherefore weepest thou, my daughter,
Young, and yet so full of sorrow?"

"O my mother, who hast borne me,
O my mother, who hast nursed me,
Cause enough have I for anguish,
Cause enough for bitter sorrow;
Therefore do I weep, poor mother,
Therefore grieve I, O my mother.
To the wood I went for besoms,
Gathered bath-whisks from the bushes:
One I gathered for my father,
One I gathered for my mother,
And I gathered yet another,
For my young and ruddy brother.
As I turned my footsteps homeward,
And across the heath was tripping,
From the dell there called Osmoinen,
From the field cried Kalevainen,
'Do not wear, fair maid, for others,
But for me alone, poor maiden,
Round thy neck a beaded necklace,
And a cross upon thy bosom;
Plait for me thy beauteous tresses,
Braid thy hair with silken ribands.'
From my breast I took the crosslet,
From my neck the beaded necklace,
Tore the blue bands from my temples,
From my head the scarlet ribands,
Then upon the ground I threw them,
Scattered them among the bushes,
And I answered him in this wise:
'Not for thee, and not for others,
Rests my cross upon my bosom,
And my hair is bound with ribands.
Nought I care for sea-borne raiment,
Wheaten bread I do not value.
I will walk in home-spun garments,
And with crusts will still my hunger,
In my dearest father's dwelling,
And beside my much-loved mother.'"

And her mother answered thus wise,
Said the old crone to the maiden,
"Do not weep, my dearest daughter,
Do not grieve (and thou so youthful);
Eat a whole year long fresh butter,
That your form may grow more rounded,
Eat thou pork the second season,
That your form may grow more charming,
And the third year eat thou cream-cakes,
That you may become more lovely;
Seek the storehouse on the mountain,
There the finest chamber open.
There are coffers piled on coffers,
Chests in heaps on chests are loaded,
Open then the finest coffer,
Raise the painted lid with clangour,
There you'll find six golden girdles,
Seven blue robes of finest texture,
Woven by the Moon's own daughter,
By the Sun's own daughter fashioned."

Next: Väinämöinen and Aino (cont.)

(900 words)

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